A Very Lilly Wedding

One color palette I dream of seeing in one of my weddings is something Lilly Pulitzer inspired. The famous Palm Beach designer combines bold and fresh colors with a love for all things preppy. Below is an splash I compiled with some ideas that remind me of this fabulous lady. Perfect for beach weddings with a little sophistication!

And it that weren't enough inspiration, take a peek at the 50th Anniversary of Lilly Pulitzer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTpE4RveEMQ

Bridal Gown of the Day

Lazaro

Style # LZ3904

Ivory silk organza strapless ball gown, beaded and embroidered bodice, dropped waist,

full gathered skirt, chapel train.

Available in: Ivory, White

To find the closest boutique to you carrying the Lazaro Bridal Collection, click here

Bride Wars

Bride Wars is in theatres today!

Grab the girls and head to the theatres to see the new movie "Bride Wars" starring Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson! For more information on the movie, visit the really cute website they have set-up at http://www.bridewars.com/

Here's a bit about the movie:

Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson go head-to-head in Bride Wars, a romantic comedy that follows two best-friend brides who find they've scheduled their wedding dates on the same day. 13 Going on 30's Gary Winick directs the 20th Century Fox production. - Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide

Word is the gowns were designed by Vera Wang, but I haven't seen a direct confirmation although she does have a large ad for the movie on her website. You can enter to win a really fabulous package from them including bridesmaids dresses, china, & linens!

Enter here: http://www.verawangonweddings.com/contest/contest-entry.aspx

Let me know how it is girls!

Dress of the Day - Carrie Bradshaw anyone?

Bridal Gown of the Day
by Sarah Danielle
Style # 5564

This style looks all too similar to the style worn by Carrie Bradshaw in the Sex & the City movie, released in 2008. This dress is STUNNING in person and is great for the high couture bride, looking to spend little. The dress retails for about $1125.

For information on locating a Sarah Danielle bridal salon near you, visit
http://sarah-danielle-bridalwear.com/us_en/collection.php?linenum=0&totlines=-1

Happy 2009!

We here at "What's Happening in Weddings" want to wish everyone a joyous and prosperous New Year! It's a time for new beginnings and if you're a 2009 bride, we hope you'll make us a part of your big celebration!

As always, if you have a specific question you'd like answered, please feel free to drop us an e-mail at Shannon@aBelleSoiree.com.

Congratulations!

What to do about tattoos?

You're inked, and you're engaged. What to do about hiding your tattoo?

Many brides are often concerned about their tattoos when searching for the right wedding gown. You can still have the beautiful skin showing gown you've wanted and hide the tattoo.

Many make-up artists are now offering "tattoo camouflage," a service in which they apply a makeup type product over the tattoo to conceal it before a special event.

For those of you looking for an "over-the-counter" application, check into using Derma-blend. It has long been known as the perfect make-up for those with facial imperfections, scars, or tattoos. This stuff is AMAZING. You can purchase it online by going to dermablend.com, or at your local JCPenney or Dillards department store!

Bridal Gown of the Day

Carmela Sutera

Style #429

Carmela is one of my favorite designers! I'm sure I've raved about her before. They use the absolute finest in fabrics and French laces. All of their gowns are made in the United States, something that is very rare these days. While they are at a higher price point, you are paying for suberb quality and attention to detail.

This dress we've nicknamed "Audrey." It's VERY Audrey Hepburn like and so much fun for the willing, fashion forward bride. It's actually a raffia ballgown, with two grosgain ribbons on the bodice and a beautiful bow.

This style is around $4500.00.

Thank you!

Just wanted to say a BIG thank you to those of you reading and commenting on the blog. It's great to get some feedback and know that their are those of you out there who are checking out "What's Happening in Weddings."

If you would like to see some articles on a particular subject, or if you have a question related to the wedding and events industry, drop us a line by leaving a comment here or email us at Shannon@aBelleSoiree.com

Ciao!

-Tip #1-

If you're a bride on a budget or you're going for a more simple approach, consider purchasing a bridesmaids dress instead of the traditional gown. They make an abundance of sophisticated, simple, and beautiful dresses in a variety of colors including white and off-white. Theses dresses are great for beach and garden weddings and average about $200. Nobody would ever know!

-Tip #2-

Bridal salons are the busiest on the weekends so take a tip from me, if you want excellent service and devoted attention call ahead and make an appointment at least a few days in advance. So often great bridal salons have to turn away brides because they just can't handle having anyone else in the store. Don't let this be you!

-Tip #3-

Look for a certified wedding & event planner by checking websites like ABC (national) or WPCF (central florida only). In order to be a member of these groups you must take courses, pass exams, attend conferences, meetings, and assist in other weddings.

-Tip #4-

Don't expect to choose all of your vendors or even your wedding planner based on a trip to a local bridal expo. Be sure to collect business cards and take notes based on what has stuck out in your mind about each business booth you've visited. Then, schedule follow-up appointments to review in detail their portfolios and qualifications. This will help you narrow down your selections.

-Tip #5-

Keep in mind when shopping for your gown that many dresses can be modified and altered to your liking. If you prefer something strapless, straps can be removed and vice versa. Train too long? Trains can be modified on most dresses.

-Tip #6-

Please remember that the average time for delivery of a wedding gown is 6 months! Bridal party gowns take between 2 and 3 months so plan accordingly. Remember that while the dress will be ordered as close to your size as possible, alterations will still be neccessary and will require an additional 4-6 weeks time.

-Tip #7-

Have your eye on an amazingly beautiful cake but it's totally out of your price range? Talk with your baker about the possibility of using styrofoam! Bakers now can create the look of that equisite cake you have in mind with only a portion of it being edible. They usually make the bottom layer real cake for your cake-cutting ceremony, but have simple sheet cakes in the kitchen that are cut and served to guests. This eliminates a great deal of the cost and you're guest will never know the difference!

Yucky favor alert!

*ALERT*

Okay, okay...a bit dramatic I know. But, have you ever tasted one of these things? While these decorated cookies are BEAUTIFUL and whimsical, they taste HORRID! They are hard cookies decorated with hard icing and they can be quite expensive! My suggestion is just to avoid these all together, unless you can work with a local baker to make fresh sugar cookies that will be chewy and delicious!